(LiNK) app analytics for January 11

LiNK’s fun, social, and ephemeral group chats capture the essence of Third Places—local pubs, clubs, bars, cafes, public venues, parks, and more—allowing university students to establish truly valuable connections. STEP 1—SIGN UP Enter your student email, create a username and password STEP 2—PERSONALISE Add a profile picture and bio STEP 3—REQUEST Tap the + icon in the navigation bar to join new chats STEP 4—LiNK Join chats, connect and converse with like-minded students STEP 5—ARCHIVE Chats will automatically archive after 12 hours of inactivity STEP 6—REPEAT Repeat steps 3-5 Social platforms are no longer social. Despite being more connected than any time in human history, 73% of Gen Z admit to feeling alone either sometimes or always—the most of any generation ever. So obsessed with inundating users with never-ending media, the social platforms of today have disregarded the notion of connecting people. We are forever scrolling past people’s lives, glancing into their thoughts and emotions, but denied the opportunity to connect with the person behind the facade. The same is true offline. Like scrolling in the real world, we walk past hundreds of strangers, but how often do we take the time to converse and connect? It is difficult to comprehend the missed opportunities for friendship, collaboration, love. Modern-day urban planning also provides some explanation. Major changes in the layout of cities have pushed inhabitants away from tight-knit cities towards the sprawling suburbs. As a result, traditional Third Places (local pubs, community centres, cafes, parks), have become practically obsolete as a means of consistent socialisation. Unfortunately, these changes are, for the most part, irreversible. Will the current social platforms reverse their direction, seeking to serve users more meaningfully? No. Will we start befriending strangers on the street? Unlikely. Will we restructure cities, bringing traditional Third Places back to life? Hard to imagine. Where do we go from here? The 21st Century demands a new, exciting, fun, and innovative social network. A platform that instigates genuine connections between people. An environment to bring those from all walks of life closer together. A place that alleviates feelings of loneliness. (LiNK), through its Digital Third Places, is that social network.